Teeth Whitening: Get Sparkling Teeth Easily At Home

Your smile is the first thing that people notice about you. A healthy and beautiful smile enhances your overall appearance and well-being. But at times, there could be several factors that steal the spark from your smile. However, with the advancements in the field of cosmetic dentistry, you can overcome dental flaws easily through several procedures, such as teeth whitening. 

The Northeast Philadelphia dentist and their team offer comprehensive at-home teeth whitening trays to brighten your teeth a few shades lighter.

Teeth whitening-overview

Teeth whitening or bleaching is a common dental procedure that can aesthetically enhance the way your teeth look. It involves changing the shade of your natural teeth to 2 to 3 shades lighter using concentrated chemical agents. Teeth whitening systems come in two types, which are in-office and at-home bleaching procedures, with the latter gaining momentum due to ease and convenience.

Teeth whitening mechanism 

Teeth whitening systems consist of an active bleaching agent such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. This active ingredient usually breaks down into tiny oxygen bubbles when in contact with water to eliminate stains on the tooth surface. 

Indications for teeth whitening 

Your dentist may recommend teeth whitening for the following reasons:

Intrinsic stains

• This is an internal discoloration of the tooth, usually due to the natural aging process.
• The enamel surface wears away, exposing the underlying yellowish dentin. 
• Example- Fluorosis (excess fluoridation during tooth development)

Extrinsic stains 

• This is external discoloration of the tooth surface due to multiple reasons, such as: 
  • High-pigmented beverages like coffee, red wine, tea, and cola. 
  • Smoking or tobacco use
  • Medications like tetracycline

Using teeth whitening trays at home

At-home teeth whitening systems are simple and convenient, which is explained in the following steps:

Tray fabrication

• Your dentist will evaluate the severity of tooth discoloration and your social habits to determine the cause.
• A full mouth impression will be recorded and sent to the laboratory for fabricating the bleaching trays. 
• The dental technician will create thin and clear trays. These are made up of biocompatible plastic for effective results with minimal allergies. 

Tray placement at home 

• Brush your teeth before you use the trays to remove any food debris.

• Apply a sufficient amount of refrigerated active gel on the trays and place them inside your mouth.

• You will be advised to use the trays with a special whitening agent twice a day for 30 minutes.
• However, overnight use is also suggested depending on the degree of staining and desired level of whitening.

Virtually, when you opt for a teeth-whitening solution, you can experience moderate to substantial improvement in the brightness and whiteness of your smile.